Jig Heads

Choosing the Right Jig Heads for NZ Soft Bait Fishing

Jig heads play a major role in how a soft bait casts, sinks and swims. The right weight helps your lure reach the strike zone while still looking natural. In New Zealand, anglers often change jig head size based on depth, wind, tide, current and the size of the soft plastic lure being used.

Which Jig Head Weight Should You Use?

• 5g jig heads: Best for very shallow water, calm estuaries, canals, trout streams, weed edges and slow retrieves where a light, natural fall matters.
• 7g jig heads: A useful light option for shallow harbour edges, flats, canals and close to medium casting with small soft baits.
• 10g jig heads: A good step up when you need more casting reach, a slightly faster sink rate and better contact than 5g or 7g jig heads.
• 14g jig heads: A strong all-round size for many NZ soft bait fishing situations, including estuaries, river mouths, inshore channels and moderate current.
• 20g jig heads: Best when you need longer casts, faster sink rate, better depth control, or more contact in wind, tide, boat drift or deeper water.

Why Weight Matters

Lighter jig heads give soft baits a slower and more natural fall. This can work well when fish are cautious or feeding in shallow water. However, light jig heads may struggle in wind, current or deeper water because they can drift too high or lose contact with the angler.

Heavier jig heads generally cast farther and sink faster. Therefore, they are useful from shore, rocks, wharves, harbour edges and boats when you need the lure to reach fish quickly. However, heavier weights can drop too fast in shallow water, so it helps to match the weight to the conditions.

Best Uses Around New Zealand

• Use lighter jig heads around calm estuaries, canals, shallow flats, harbour margins and slow water.
• Use 10g or 14g jig heads for general soft bait fishing around inshore channels, river mouths and harbour edges.
• Use 20g jig heads when fishing deeper channels, stronger tidal flow, wind-affected water, boat drift or longer casts from shore.
• Match smaller jig heads with smaller soft baits, and use heavier heads when larger soft plastics need more control.

Target Species

These jig heads suit soft bait fishing for common New Zealand species such as snapper, kahawai, trevally, gurnard, trout and other fish that take soft plastic lures. For the best action, thread the soft bait straight onto the hook so the body sits naturally behind the round head.

Jig Head Buying Tip

Use the lightest jig head that still lets you cast well, reach the right depth and stay in touch with the lure. If the soft bait drifts too high, sinks too slowly or feels hard to control, move up in weight. If it drops too fast or snags often, move down to a lighter jig head.